Oakville Real Estate News

Size Matters: Tips For Making A Small Space Look Larger

Think
size doesn't matter? Tell that to the guy who just bought his wife a pair of
pants three sizes too big, the kid who just got jipped on his ice cream scoop
or the people trying to navigate through your cluttered living room of your
home for sale.

We might not be able to help with the pants or the ice cream, but we do have
some great tips to maximize the space you have and make it make it appear
larger.

1. Make the right colour
choices for your walls.

When it comes to your walls, you want to "use light colours or neutrals
throughout; as they are space expanders and provide a neutral background for
furniture and artwork," said Houzz in their "18 Ways to Make A Small Space Look Larger."

Dark colors can feel confining or make a room feel claustrophobic, said Freshome. "Using light colours will make walls appear to
recede, creating a bright and airy feel."

2. Watch the contrast.

A small space can benefit from colour palettes that stay within
a similar range. That often means playing off of the wall colour. "When
adding draperies to the room, keeping them in the same colour as walls will
help avoid contrast to the space," said Houzz.

But perhaps the best trick for the windows in a small space is casting the
window coverings aside. "Leaving your windows uncovered will trick your
eyes into thinking that your pad's got depth -- and reveal the natural beauty
of the landscape outside," said The Nest.

3. Take it up, not out.

Don't have the floor space for more stuff? You've still got
walls. "Take advantage of vertical space," said Woman's Day. "Custom storage also helps you maximize
out-of-the-way nooks, like the area under a flight of stairs. Not ready to
commit to a contractor just yet? (Try) easy-to-install floating shelves."

4. Don't forget about
adjacent areas.

Staying within the same colour palette and style from room to
room when sightlines pass from one space to another is important to creating
unity. "Link adjacent spaces with the same colour and flooring," said
the WSJ. "Keeping to one colour makes rooms look bigger. However, if you
do need to change flooring materials it is wise to stay in the same colour
family."

5. Don't play by the
rules with furniture.

A small space means small furniture, right? Not so fast. You'll
actually create an airier atmosphere by displaying one prominent item -- from a
statement sofa to a curved armchair -- rather than putting tons of tiny pieces
everywhere.

Another great trick with furniture is to pay attention to where you put it.
Everything in the room does not have to pushed up against a wall. Sometimes a
piece looks better at an angle or surrounded by space. Give your furniture
breathing room, whether it's angling your bed or floating your sofa in the
living room with a skinny console behind it.

6. Make your stuff work
overtime for you.

A table that's only a table? You're missing out. In a small space,
it's all about multifunction. A side table that can also be used as a desk.
Storage ottomans that house blankets. It's about multifunctional storage.
"Don't worry: You're not stuck with dollhouse furniture simply because you
have small rooms. Just pick pieces that work harder and look smarter.
Typically, small homes are short on places to stash things. That's why it's so
valuable to find furniture with storage included," said Better Homes and Gardens.